She’d also done some homework on Tank’s career. He’d graduated high school at seventeen, gotten a full athletic scholarship to Penn State, started varsity all four years, and carried a three-six GPA, graduating cum laude.
After college, Tank had gotten a job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Within two years, he’d been promoted to the number two position in their strength-and-conditioning staff. He was quickly recognized as one of the bright young minds in the industry. That was when USC had come calling and hired him to head their football program’s sports and conditioning team.
Tank had hired a diverse group of trainers and nutritionists to catapult athletes to their highest potential. They did this while at the same time getting the players’ bodies to the point where they could better resist injury. David had commented that Tank’s group had scienced the shit out of it, and from what Cassidy could see, that was true. Tank was on the cutting edge of the industry, and he was only twenty-seven.
She figured that she would need to barter something, so Cassidy had brought all of David’s records from high school that the trainers had put together. She was sure that her friend had selective amnesia about many of his injuries that Tank would want to know about.
Tank was receptive to her request and offered to help the rowing team.
“What do you have there?” he asked when Cassidy put the thick folder on his desk.
“I’ve been working with David for nearly five years. Since you’re going to take over this summer, I thought you might want to see his high school records. The trainers kept track of his progress, and this also has all his injuries documented,” Cassidy explained. “By the way, one of his trainers just joined the baseball training staff here.”
Tank flipped through the folder and frowned.
“How many concussions has he had?” the coach asked.
“At least two.”
“We’ve been learning a lot more about the hidden damage of head trauma. I’m going to have our team doctor, Doctor Liao, check him out,” Tank said, and then he paused before asking, “Can I keep this?”
“Let me ask David,” she said and then gave him a quick call.
David wasn’t thrilled that he would have to get his head tested but gave Cassidy permission to let Tank have a copy.
Turning her attention back to Tank, Cassidy studied his shock of curly brown-black hair, his stubbled jawline, and his broad shoulders. She decided he was handsome. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine what was underneath those shorts with the way they clung to him in all the right places. She tilted her head to the side and made an appreciative face. ‘Nice,’ she thought.
After they’d talked about David, the conversation changed as they began to get to know each other on a more personal level. Cassidy unexpectedly found that she was attracted to Tank in a very unprofessional manner.
Tank must have felt it, too, because he came out from behind the desk and held out his hand. Cassidy took it and stood up. She worried all this was happening too fast. One moment they were having a conversation about strength and conditioning, and the next, she was contemplating what this man would look like in her bed.
Cassidy was no blushing virgin, but she’d never been one to spread her charms around either.
“If you want to be naughty, sweetheart, I’m your man. I can lead you into temptation and show you the time of your life. We’ll both have some fun memories,” Tank said as he put a hand on her hip and pulled her closer.
Cassidy couldn’t believe she was contemplating this. He wasn’t asking her for a date or a relationship. It was an opportunity to spend some time with a real man. A chance to relieve an itch, so to speak.
“But if you’re really not sure, you say so,” Tank said sincerely. “You’re safe with me. If you say ‘no,’ we can just forget about this. All you have to do is tell me what you want.”
What did she want? Cassidy wasn’t sure … had no idea.
Then she thought, ‘What would David do?’ Unlike Jesus, David would go for it because he was a slut. But then again, he’d been changing. Her head was in turmoil as she wetted her lips and stalled.
“Cassidy. You have to verbalize what you want, girl. Use your words,” Tank said softly.
Tank was intently looking at her. She felt his inner need as if it was something physical. He was breathing hard, his eyes squinted, and the tip of his tongue parted his lips.
“Words?”
Tank slid his hand on her waist up under Cassidy’s t-shirt and ran his fingers across her stomach until he reached her belly button. Then he slid them down into the waistband of her shorts and inched them down until he touched her panties.
“I hope we’re on the same page here. If you have any hesitation, tell me ‘no.’ I’ll only do this if you are sure and willing. I’ll completely understand,” Tank said gently.
With his words, Cassidy began to feel more confident in the situation. The honest truth was that she did want him. When Cassidy had dated before, no one asked her what she wanted; she’d just gone along with it. And it wasn’t as if Tank was trying to make this more than it was. If she did this, it would just be sex.
In the past, she’d enjoyed her boyfriends. She liked to kiss them and have them grope under her shirt. The few times she’d had sex, it had mostly been somewhat enjoyable. She’d felt unsatisfied when the act was done. The lone exception was David. That man-child rocked her world.
But the mere proximity to Tank made her feel … so much. He was so big, so hard, so unexpected. He was confident enough to ask for what he wanted. It was freeing to know precisely where she stood. He’d asked her to have sex with him and nothing more. Tank had done it in such a way that he wasn’t a jerk about it. She had to respect that and, honestly, really wanted to.
“I want to say yes.”
“Then do,” he encouraged.
“Uhm,” Cassidy hedged.
“What aren’t you sure about?”
“Everything. You. This. What I want. What I should do.”
Tank chuckled.
“Only you can figure that out, honey. If you are having this hard of a time deciding, then don’t leave me hanging. Put me out of my misery and say, ‘no.’”
Cassidy squeezed her eyes closed and was about to tell him just that. When she opened them, she saw his kind face smiling at her. She knew he would be okay if she said ‘no,’ but was that what she really wanted?
“I’m sorry,” she said and saw the flicker of disappointment touch his eyes, so she added, “I’ve never done something like this. Whenever I’ve spent time with someone, it has been in some form of a relationship or with someone I loved.”
As Cassidy said the words, her hand shot out, and she touched his chest. Under his university polo shirt, she felt warmth. His chest felt powerful and firm.
“My dilemma is that I’m very attracted to you, and I am more than halfway there. I want to throw caution to the wind. But I’m not … I don’t …” she stammered.
“You’ve always been a good girl.”
Cassidy nodded, unable to say the words.
Tank took a chance and used his fingers in the waistband of her shorts to pull her closer to him. He then began to slowly make circles as he gently rubbed her skin above her bikini line. With his other hand, he touched her cheek and ran his fingers back, catching her hair so he could tuck it behind her ear.
“Honey, no one would ever think you weren’t a good girl,” Tank assured her.
Cassidy thought her heart might burst out of her chest. He was so honest and achingly direct that all her doubts melted away. She found herself closing the gap between them as she grasped his polo and lifted it over his head. They both frantically worked to remove the other’s clothing. Cassidy groaned when she finally felt skin-on-skin.
Tank reached behind him, and, with a wave of his arm, everything on his desk crashed to the floor. They were like two sex-starved teenagers. She had forgotten how this could make you feel when you were with the right person. How intimate and special, how achingly sexy it was just to feel someone’s body on hers.